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Sheriff urges county ban on ALPR and AI-equipped 'Flock' cameras
Summary
Sheriff James Burgett told the Sherman County Court he wants the county to ban automated license-plate readers and AI-equipped camera systems, saying the risks to privacy outweigh benefits and urging local action to curb wider law-enforcement tracking efforts.
Sherman County Sheriff James Burgett urged the County Court on Jan. 21 to consider a local ban on mass-surveillance tools, including automated license-plate readers (ALPR) and cameras equipped with artificial intelligence, sometimes marketed as Flock systems. “I have significant concerns about the use of these technologies and would like to see a county ban on their implementation,” Burgett said.
Burgett argued that while such systems make tracking people easier, their broad use risks misuse and expands law-enforcement surveillance capacity. He contrasted photo radar — which he described as taking photos of specific traffic violators — with ALPR and camera networks that record all passing vehicles and said private cameras can be accessed by law enforcement only with a warrant. The court did not take immediate action but heard Burgett’s request as part of the morning appointment schedule.
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